Woodcut
Dale DeArmond
Artist's Edition: 25
Edition of Artist Proofs: 5
Edition of Presentation Proofs: 5
Paper type: Nishinouchi; handmade Japanese, off-white
Print size: 14 ½" x 19 ¼" (approx.)
Image size: 12" x 15 ¾"
Hand pulled by the artist from the original blocks and printed on an Ettan etching press at Juneau, Alaska. Printing completed August 22, 1983.
Editor's note: conflicting records incorrectly indicate this print has a regular edition of fifty copies.
Based on an Aleutian Island story. After three tries, Raven, with the help of his grandmother, found a wife who would put up with his peculiar ways. To celebrate the event Raven went out and caught a lot of salmon and a whale and gave a great feast for the village.
Raven lived with his grandmother in a poor hut at the edge of the village. One day Raven decided to marry the daughter of the chief and sent his grandmother to fetch her. The grandmother was reluctant but finally fetched the girl to the hut where the girl came only because everyone in the village was starving and she knew Raven had food. But after a night spent enfolded in Raven's scratchy, smelly wings she ran away home. The same thing happened with the next girl Raven chose but the third girl was as clever as she was beautiful. She pretended to be perfectly happy enfolded in Raven's scratchy, dirty wings and after three days Raven cleaned up his act, went out and caught a whale and gave a great feast for all the villagers.